Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Iraq Strategy Called Into Question; Body Found on Plane; U.S. Embassy Attack in Greece

Aired January 12, 2007 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed.
I'm Tony Harris.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins.

Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on this Friday, the 12th of January.

Here's what's on the rundown.

Iraq strategy called into question. The new defense secretary, the joint Chiefs chairman working today to answer Capitol concerns.

HARRIS: Caution, slippery roads ahead. The Plains about to get clobbered with a serious ice storm. Meteorologist Chad Myers has severe weather.

COLLINS: War talk. Our Jeanne Moos just can't resist the urge to surge. Word play this hour in the NEWSROOM.

On the Hill, under the gun. The president's plan for Iraq undergoes a second day of congressional scrutiny. A live shot there for you. Defense Secretary Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace, who you see there, again facing questions.

Meanwhile, we have some new developments in lawmakers taking the issue on the road. The latest from CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash.

Dana, both those issues in a moment. But first, we are hearing some information about a high-level GOP retreat this weekend, Camp David.

What can you tell us about that?

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A retreat of sorts, Heidi.

CNN has learned that the president will host Republican leaders at his retreat of Camp David in Maryland, not too far from the White House, this weekend. And it comes at a very interesting time.

Of course, what we have seen here this week is the GOP firewall for the president, politically, really crumble in a way we haven't seen before. Republicans really on display like never before yesterday, for example, in one of the hearings with Secretary Rice, making clear that they are very skeptical, some. Others even outraged at the idea of the president's new Iraq plan.

What we're going to see this weekend, or at least hear about -- it will be behind closed doors -- is the president taking four Republican leaders and their spouses up to his retreat. And, you know, those leaders -- or at least three of the four -- have committed to the president's idea of putting more troops in Iraq. So it is certainly an interesting time.

And it is a very rare occurrence for the president to have such a meeting with members of Congress, even his own Republican brethren at Camp David. So that will be interesting.

Meanwhile, what we are seeing as we speak here on Capitol Hill is some more of the grilling of the president's national security team on the president's new Iraq plan. And what we're seeing this morning is quite different in terms of the atmospherics than what we saw yesterday.

It's a little bit more subdued. And what we're hearing from Democrats are very pointed questions about the fact that they simply do not think that there are enough benchmarks for the Iraqi government, for the Iraqi military, in order for this plan to work.

Listen to the new chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Carl Levin, questioning the defense secretary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: If at that time, we conclude that at a government level and at a -- on a broad level, they have not fulfilled their commitments, then I have to -- I think we have to reevaluate our strategy.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D-MI), CHAIRMAN, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Just saying we're going to reevaluate our strategy is the definition of an open-ended commitment. Just, again, I mean, we reevaluate strategy all the time.

Just to say if you folks don't live up to what you commit, well, we're going to reevaluate, that's -- that's not pressure on the Iraqis. That's the same thing which has been going on for years.

GATES: Well, the president did indicate to president -- Prime Minister Maliki that his patience was not unlimited. I think that the premise of this entire strategy is, in fact, the Iraqis taking the lead and fulfilling these commitments. If they fail to do those things, then I think it's incumbent upon the administration and incumbent upon me to recommend looking at whether this is the right strategy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And later, the secretary, Gates, made clear that he simply does not know, he is not entirely confident in the Iraqi government because, as some of the senators pointed out, they have not met their commitments in the past. But he said that he has heard time and time from them that they feel differently this time, that this time their will is different.

One interesting note so far. You know, we oftentimes hear Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, being a thorn in the White House's side when it comes to a whole host of issues. Today the dynamic is different, because what the president did in announcing he will send more troops to Iraq is agree to a plan that Senator McCain has supported for quite some time.

So what Senator McCain has done this morning is play the Republican partisan in a way in that he was questioning the secretary, and also the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, about what would happen if the Democrats' plan were in place, the Democratic plan to start withdrawal in four to six months from Iraq, sort of goading them into making clear this they believe that that would make matters much worse, the sectarian violence would get much worse, and, in the words of Secretary Gates, the government, the political government, could start to unravel in that case.

COLLINS: All right, Dana.

So, as we see the Senate GOP leadership heading to Camp David later today to be with the president, we are also seeing and reported here a little bit earlier, the two senators, Clinton and Bayh, and the congressman, McCue, are heading over to Iraq and Afghanistan.

What do they hope to accomplish on that trip?

BASH: You know, it is something that we -- we have seen more and more of lately, members of Congress wanting to get a firsthand look on what's really going on, on the ground in Iraq. And, you know, what they can learn from these hearings, that's one thing. But they feel that they really get much better information, as anybody would, by going to the ground, talking to the commanders who are closer to the field, talking to the Iraqis. And that's what we're going to see from Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Evan Bayh.

They're on their way to Iraq as we speak.

COLLINS: They missed the Senate Armed Service hearings today, though.

BASH: They missed this hearing today. This hearing was originally scheduled for yesterday. We're told that they tried to change the schedule but it was already in place.

COLLINS: All right.

CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash.

Thanks for the latest.

BASH: Thank you. HARRIS: President Bush facing plenty of critics and a lot of questions for his new strategy for Iraq. Some see a long and lonely road ahead as the president moves forward with his plan.

CNN Chief National Correspondent John King has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was on shaky ground to begin with, and made his choices knowing they would leave him even more isolated.

KEN DUBERSTEIN, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: It's a lonely road. George Bush thinks he is on the right path. This is very uphill. This is a lonely walk.

KING: Speaking to troops at Fort Benning, Mr. Bush said his strategy offered the best chance of success.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is new. This is something different that enables the military folks to predict that we will succeed in helping quell sectarian violence in Baghdad.

KING: But critics and even some past allies see stubborn defiance, ignoring evidence past troop increases haven't worked and ignoring the message war-weary voters sent last November.

BRUCE BUCHANAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS: He has been willing to ignore the will of the people perhaps more than any modern president, certainly on this issue. We could be headed for a constitutional crisis. It kind of depends on how determined the Congress is to push back.

KING: In trademark Bush style, he defied his critics and upped the ante.

This National Security Council slide presentation outlines a plan that not only orders more troops into Iraq, but vows key operational shifts will include new efforts to counter Iranian and Syrian actions that threatens coalition forces.

Such talk alarmed some in Congress.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Let me say that again: explicitly denies you the authority to go into Iran.

KING: The administration, though, says it has no intention of widening the conflict.

GENERAL PETER PACE, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: We can take care of the security for our troops by doing the business we need to do inside of Iraq.

KING: Another key tactical shift raising eyebrows is a plan to remobilize the National Guard, which most governors oppose. And, most of all, critics cite the promise of bold new steps by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the same prime minister the president's national security adviser described in a recent classified memo as unwilling or unable to make the necessary tough choices.

BUCHANAN: Bush really has no choice. He has bet on that horse, and now he's stuck with him. In his mind, his main audience now is history, rather than current opinion.

KING: For an administration that is loath to admit mistakes, this slide is stunning. Under "Key Assumptions," the White House admits it was wrong about the nature of the insurgency, wrong about progress toward political reconciliation, wrong in believing Iraq's Arab neighbors would help more, and wrong in its optimistic assessments of Iraq's security forces.

BUSH: Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.

DUBERSTEIN: The president, you know, sounded that note of contrition last night, and not a lot of bravado in that speech.

KING: Even many allies say that contrition was long overdue. But what leaves the president in such a lonely place is that many can't see an administration that got so much so wrong suddenly getting it right.

John King, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Want to quickly get back to a developing story we've been telling you about, Delta Airlines and a body found.

T.J. Holmes has the very latest.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Delta, Heidi, is calling this a stowaway found in the wheel well of Delta Flight 35, which is coming from Dakar, Senegal, in western Africa, to Atlanta.

It arrived in Atlanta at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 8:50. Arrived on time without incident, taxied to the gate. Everything seemed pretty normal, and the body was found.

Delta is not saying right now exactly what happened and everything that was surrounding this body being found. But, in fact, the body found, not being identified as a man or woman just yet, found in the wheel well.

There were, we do know now, about 205 passengers on the plane, 11 crew. Some of those passengers were being questioned. Not exactly sure if the entire -- the entire crew, the entire -- all the passengers were being questioned, but we do know at least some were being questioned by authorities. That's at least according to Delta spokespeople there as well. The plane also being inspected. Delta does not believe there was any damage to this plane, which is a Boeing 767. Don't believe it has been damaged, but it is being inspected as well.

But, again, a body found, a stowaway. This was some 9.5 flight from Dakar, Senegal, to Atlanta today. So, assuming the stowaway got on there, there in Dakar, some kind of way, got in that wheel well and made this -- or tried to make this 9.5 hour flight.

But again, a dead body found. This did cause some 30-minute flight delays at Hartsfield-Jackson International because of this security issue, but trying to get it worked out. But this is something we're keeping an eye on.

Still probably details to come, but again, body found in the wheel well of that Delta flight. No other incident. No one else, at this point, we know of, involved.

But again, we know some passengers, some of those 205, were being questioned. Don't know if everybody has been let go yet or what's coming of those interrogations.

COLLINS: OK.

HOLMES: But some are being questioned right now.

We're on top of it -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. We know you'll be watching it.

T.J. Holmes, thank you.

HARRIS: Chad Myers in the CNN weather center follow something severe weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Well, finally, it is finalized.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the first time I'm legally a mom. And I can really use that title now, "mom." I'm mom forever and ever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: An adoption 14 years in the making. Mom, dad and daughter ahead in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: A U.S. embassy targeted by terrorists. Details in the NEWSROOM.

And time to surge. Defining the word that's defining the war. Language lingo with our own wordsmith, Jeanne Moos. She's coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Terrorists target the U.S. Embassy in Greece.

Live to Athens now and CNN's Alessio Vinci.

Alessio, the latest we have heard is that a rocket-propelled grenade hitting the embassy. We know this is not the first time that the embassy has been targeted.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is correct, Heidi. This embassy has been the target of several attacks in the past, and most notably, perhaps, in 1996, when a similar attack, a similar rocket was launched at the back of the embassy, destroying several cars in the parking lot of that embassy. But let's come to today's attack.

It was 6:00 a.m. local time, exactly 12 hours ago, when a rocket- propelled grenade was fired at the embassy from street level. And it hit the window right there above the embassy emblem.

The rocket landed in a toilet, very close to the office of the U.S. ambassador who, given the time, was not in his office. The ambassador then spoke to reporters a few moments later. And he said, that while there was no damage and no one was hurt, he was treating this as a serious attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES RIES, U.S. AMB. TO GREECE: As you know, the embassy was hit by some attack from outside. There can be no justification for such a senseless act of violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VINCI: The perimeter of the embassy of the attack was quickly cordoned off. The entire area has been considered a crime scene. Investigators sifting through the debris and trying to get some clues as to perhaps the origin of the weapon used.

Greek officials, of course, condemned the attack. And as of now, they are trying to authenticate several phone calls that were made to a private security firm hired by the U.S. Embassy. And the caller who did not give his name said during those phone calls that a group called The Revolutionary Struggle is behind the attack.

Now, this leftist and militant group is a known quantity to Greek and U.S. officials. Last year, it claimed responsibility for failed assassination attempt against a Greek minister here. And the year before, in the summer 2005, they attacked the Greek Ministry of the Economy.

So as far as the preliminary results of the investigation right now, all indications appear that the group responsible for this attack was a homegrown group, rather than al Qaeda or any kind of international terrorist group -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Well, I have to ask then, Alessio, does that give the people of Athens more comfort or less to know that it could possibly be a homegrown terrorist group?

VINCI: Well, you know, this country has a long history of these leftist militant groups who have attacked not just U.S. interests, but also Western -- or what they see as imperialistic interests in this country. And, therefore, there is, to some extent, amongst some people in this country, also that kind of sentiment.

There is a bit of history that has to be said that -- that has to be told. This country was ruled by a militant back junta back in the 1970s -- between 1969 and 1975, I believe. And the U.S. was believed to be backing that military junta. And therefore, this sentiment has been carried out through the years in this country.

COLLINS: History important today as we look at the events at the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece.

Alessio Vinci live for us from there.

Thank you, Alessio.

HARRIS: And still to come, director, actor and former mayor Clint Eastwood now has another title -- history maker.

That story in the NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: The crowds, the camera, the chaos.

HARRIS: Yes, yes.

COLLINS: Check it out. A furry debutante makes her first media appearance. Mei Lan's premiere in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: We have a busy weekend ahead. You'll want to tune in, of course, for the latest on the ice storm.

HOLMES: We're going to have up-to-the-minute information on that winter weather.

NGUYEN: Also get this, pets on prescriptions? Is Fido fat? Well, they have a pill for that. Maybe your cat's depressed. Yes, they have a pill for that, too.

We'll ask a nationally-known veterinarian if it is really necessary to put your pets on drugs.

Also...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): To find good workers, more and more employers like many lenders and insurers are prescreening candidates using their financial history.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Got bad credit? It could cost you that new job you applied for. Our consumer expert Gerri Willis will explain the connection.

NGUYEN: And you've heard of "Snakes on a Plane." Well, how about a scorpion on a plane? Yes, this is no movie. We're going to talk to a man who was bitten by one of these on a flight home from Vermont.

HOLMES: Yes. Never a boring moment around here on "CNN SATURDAY and SUNDAY MORNING."

That begins tomorrow at 700 Eastern.

COLLINS: She's cute as can be.

HARRIS: Yes.

COLLINS: And soon she'll be ready for the oohs and aahs of the public.

But today, Zoo Atlanta's baby panda made her media debut. Ah.

Mei Lan and her mother Lun Lun have been in seclusion since the cub was born four months ago. September 6th, I think it was.

And zoo officials say she now weighs about 16 pounds. She's walking, playing. Very, very inquisitive.

But, you know, this is a really big day, Tony, because it's been kind of tough to get her mom and her to bond. Like, she made a bunch of -- apparently some chirping sounds, which meant she was very, very uncomfortable being outside of her nest.

HARRIS: Yes.

COLLINS: So this is huge progress. Her name Mei Lan, is Chinese...

HARRIS: Mulan? I'm sorry, what is it?

COLLINS: No. That's the Disney cartoon. Or I should say movie.

HARRIS: OK. I'm sorry.

COLLINS: Mei Lan's name is Chinese for Atlanta Beauty.

HARRIS: Love that.

COLLINS: Yes. And we expect an announcement on Mei Lan's public debut -- because she has to get through the media one first...

HARRIS: Right.

COLLINS: ... in just a couple of weeks.

So there you have it.

HARRIS: And it's Mei Lan.

COLLINS: I believe so.

HARRIS: Thanks, Heidi.

COLLINS: Soccer star, sex symbol, now Hollywood player. David Beckham is coming to America. Will we ever be the same?

Here's CNN's Chris Lawrence.

HARRIS: You won't.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then Beckham with the service in.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is a European soccer star, his wife a former Spice Girl. They're ready to take on America together. David Beckham has reportedly signed a 250 million dollar contract to play for the L.A. Galaxy.

LEIGH STEINBERG, SPORTS AGENT: Everyone in America will be talking about this signing at water coolers and schools.

LAWRENCE: Everyone in America talking about a man hardly anyone can even recognize?

DAVID BECKHAM, SOCCER STAR: I love it here. It's cool.

LAWRENCE (on camera): Do people even know who David Beckham is here?

KEN BAKER, "US WEEKLY": They do, but it's like one in 10.

LAWRENCE: "US Weekly" editor Ken Baker says that will change quickly. Not due to Beckham alone, because his wife is more famous here than he is. With the former Posh Spice, there are paparazzi's dream.

BAKER: There is no Hollywood power couple left. They've all either broken up or gotten old and went to raise babies. They have an opportunity to fill the void and become the next big Hollywood power couple.

LAWRENCE: Beckham is betting his popularity in Europe will follow him across the pond to a sport still watched by few Americans.

BECKHAM: I have never had any regrets, for in my life and in my career, and I never want to.

LAWRENCE: But mentioning him in the same breath as Britney Spears or Brad Pitt?

BAKER: There's a lot of agents in town right now frothing at the mouth about the idea of, wow, he is in Hollywood now. Let's book him for movies, let's get a TV show.

LAWRENCE: Beckham was an instant celebrity among American soccer fans when he visited in 2005. This time he is after a whole different level of fame.

Chris Lawrence, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Still to come, more troops for Iraq. The president's war planners explaining to Congress how they'll help.

Combat Capitol Hill style in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

HARRIS: The president is selling his Iraq plan, but it appears most Americans aren't buying it. We're getting the first poll numbers on the new strategy this morning.

Here's our senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good evening.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice over): Wednesday night, President Bush spoke dramatically about the high stakes in Iraq.

BUSH: It is the decisive, ideological struggle of our time.

SCHNEIDER: And his new plan for dealing with it.

BUSH: So I've committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq.

SCHNEIDER: The public's response? Two to one negative. In fact, half the public say they strongly oppose the troop buildup.

Leading Democrats denounce the president's proposal.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), MAJORITY WHIP: The president's plan moves the American commitment in Iraq in the wrong direction.

SCHNEIDER: Democratic voters are virtually united in their opposition. Eighty-eight percent oppose the buildup. And the president's base? Two-thirds of Republican voters support President Bush on Iraq.

But we're beginning to hear criticism from Republican politicians.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: I think this speech given last night by this president represents the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam.

SCHNEIDER: He speaks for the 30 percent of Republican voters who oppose Mr. Bush's plan.

BUSH: Our troops will have a well-defined mission.

SCHNEIDER: The public does not agree. Only 35 percent believe President Bush has a clear plan for Iraq. That's up a bit from the 25 percent who felt that way before he spoke. But 63 percent of Americans still don't see a clear plan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Now, the poll we just reported is part of a new partnership. Today CNN is announcing the CNN Opinion Research Corporation Poll. We plan to bring you the most accurate, most insightful public opinion polling anywhere.

COLLINS: A sweet and long, long flight for family. Embracing a future together after a very long adoption struggle.

HARRIS: Details from reporter reporter Jeanne Macken (ph) of CNN affiliate WMUR, Manchester, New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MACKEN, WMUR REPORTER (voice-over): Judy Keller flips through a family photo album while she waited inside a Manchester courtroom for a judge to make her family official. Inside that album, 14 years of memories, starting from the moment Judy and her husband, John, tried to adopt Katy in Virginia. Her birth mother was a prison inmate, and months after she handed over Katy in the hospital, she changed her mind. Katy was raised by the Kellers during years of legal arguments. They insisted race should not be an issue, and they would be the best parents for Katy.

This year, the birth mother, who is still an inmate, agreed to the adoption. Katy signed the adoption papers, and for the first time, Judy held Katy in her arms as her legally adopted daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My baby!

KATY KELLER, DAUGHTER: I waited so long for my adoption to be final. And it means a lot to me that it's finally able to be done.

MACKEN: Katy is a student at Milford High School, an award- winning discus thrower, and for the first time her name is legally Katy Keller.

JOHN KELLER, FATHER: Now we can be just a regular, average family. We don't have to worry about any more legalities. I mean, we're a real family now.

JUDY KELLER, MOTHER: I am so happy, I can't even begin to tell you. For the first time I'm legally a mom. I can really use that title now. Mom. I'm mom. Forever and ever. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Heidi, Heidi, Heidi. Question for you. You looking for a new home? How about a castle? That is if you don't mind the darkness, plus a little blood-stained history. The eerie offer, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Sibila Vargas in Hollywood with a preview of this year's Golden Globes. I'll tell you why Clint Eastwood is making history ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Stargazers, listen up, a huge event on the horizon. No telescope needed, just a simple TV.

Wow, it is the star-studded awards show, the Golden Globes.

CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas is here to give us a preview. Lovely panoramic. And also a heads up on a nominee who is making some Hollywood history.

Sibila, good morning.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

A very windy morning here in Hollywood. And of course, we are talking about Clint Eastwood today. He's gotten a lot of golden globe love in the past, including the prestigious Cecil B. Demille Award. But now he's being recognized for his out-of-the-box thinking.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Flags of Our Fathers" tells about soldiers fighting one of the most famous battles in history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: The heroes of Iwo Jima.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VARGAS: "Letters From Iwo Jima" describes the same battle from the Japanese side. Two movies, same battle, same director, Clint Eastwood.

(on camera): An unusual perspective.

RICHARD SCHICKEL, "TIME" MAGAZINE FILM CRITIC": A Japanese- language film, taking the Japanese point of view in World War II. I mean, I think it's unique. I don't know of anything quite like it.

VARGAS (voice-over): Also remarkable, the timing of both films. Eastwood shot both "Flags" and "Iwo Jima" back to back. SCHICKEL: The script was written by a young woman sort of helping on research with Paul Haggis, was who writing "Flags," showed it to Clint, and he said, that's good, let's do that.

(on camera): Eastwood's unconventional approach is paying off bigtime at this year's Golden Globes. He got best director nods for both films, the first time in Globe history that a person has ban been nominated twice in the directing category.

MIKE FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: He put out two of the arguably best movies of his career.

VARGAS (voice-over): Eastwood is a longtime favorites at the Golden Globes, winning three for directing, "Bird" in 1989, "Unforgiven in "1993," and most recently "Million Dollar Baby."

HILLARY SWANK, ACTRESS: Because I know if you train me right, I'm going to be a champ.

VARGAS: Critics say it's because Eastwood finds a way to stay ahead of the game.

SCHICKEL: I think he's always looking for something that refreshes the genre. Yes, it looks like a genre movie. It looks like a boxing movie, it looks like a war movie. But when you get into the movie, it's something different.

FLEEMAN: He's doing the kinds of stuff at his age that cutting edge indie directors would only dare to do.

VARGAS: Like making history with two compelling war stories.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Also interesting to point out that letters from Iwo Jima is also nominated in the best foreign language film category. So he could win that as well.

Back to you guys. But I'll you, I'm going to be there on Monday, so I'll be telling you all the details.

HARRIS: So it's Monday. OK, I was going to ask you when's the big show. So it's Monday night. All right, Sibila.

VARGAS: Monday. I'll be on the red carpet, with my dress, giving you all the details.

COLLINS: Who will you be wearing?

VARGAS: I'll be wearing Nicole Miller, and hopefully some Cleot (ph) diamonds. Diamonds are a girl's best friend. Of course you know that, Heidi.

HARRIS: I'll tune in just for that. All right, Sibila.

COLLINS: Thanks, Sibila. What's the phrase in real estate again? Location, location, location. How about this beaut? But this is no run-of-the-mill medieval digs; it's Dracula's castle in Romania.

HARRIS: It is not. It is?

COLLINS: Yes, it's for sale. Kind of. The communist government seized the castle back in 1956, returned to the owners, the Hobbsburg (ph) family, several months ago. Now the owner has it for sale for several million dollars. But don't make a bid just yet. It seems the federal government is in a dispute with the local community over who can buy it. A warning to the buyer, though, bring candles, wooden stakes.

HARRIS: Wow. Nice.

COLLINS: Lots and lots of wooden stakes.

HARRIS: OK, I'm sold.

COLLINS: That's a weird story.

HARRIS: That is.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Time to surge, defining the word that's defining the war. Language lingo with our own wordsmith Jeanne Moos. She's coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" coming up in just about ten minutes or so. Hala Gorani will be there. She has a preview. Hi, Hala.

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi. Hi, Tony. Well, there's chaos in Somalia in Eastern Africa. And that might create a massive refugee problem. Somalis fleeing the conflict zone, massing at the border with Kenya and nowhere to go. We have a report from Jeff Koinange.

Also, questions surrounding a U.S. raid of Iranian diplomatic offices in northern Iraq. What was a small office, but it's created big diplomatic waves. We'll tell you what country is voicing concern now.

And Beckhammania continued. Part two. We go live to Los Angeles where, with great fanfare, the official announcement that David Beckham is joining Major League Soccer is going to happen in the next few hours. Will the move boost public acceptance of soccer in America? Have we piqued your interest yet? Top of the hour, join Jim Clancy and myself.

Back to you Heidi and Tony. HARRIS: You're not paying too much attention to the Beckham story, are you there Hala, are you there Heidi?

GORANI: No, no.

Just out of the corner of my eye.

COLLINS: Yes. Exactly. That's right.

We'll see new a little bit, Hala.

Meanwhile, war of words. .

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Escalation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The surge.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This escalation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The troop surge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Let's call the whole thing, what? There's some confusion out there. Our Jeanne Moos has her take ahead in THE NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: Oh, boy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICOLE LAPIN, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: It's the second leading cause of death in the United States: cancer. It's estimated that more than 1500 people die of it each and every day. At CNN.com, Mr. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a special feature in the fight against cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, you can actually reduce your risk of getting cancer by 50 percent just by eating well, by exercising and not smoking.

Not smoking is actually numbers one, two and three on Dr. Sanjay Gupta's top ten list to cut your cancer risk. That's because smoking is linked to at least three of every ten cancer deaths in the United States.

And you can also watch several clips from cancer survivors discussing their challenges, their biggest fears and the emotional aspect of fighting the disease.

And check out this map for screening centers in your state. And send us your story. We want to hear from you. How have you dealt with your cancer or do you have advice for those who are still fighting it? You can get much more information by pointing your browser to CNN.com/savingyourlife. For the .comdesk, I'm Nicole Lapis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: As you well know, in about an hour or so, we will be seeing Don Lemon and Kyra Phillips in THE NEWSROOM p.m. as we like to call it.

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Which one am I, Don or Kyra?

HARRIS: You're Don, all day, 24/7.

COLLINS: ...challenges today. I might have screwed that up.

LEMON: Oh, no, no, no. You're doing fine.

Yeah, we have a lot coming up today. The Big Easy boils over. You know, we've been reporting about crime there.

Thousands turn out to protest a spike in deadly crime and many say it was the murder of Helen Hill that's spurred them to action. Why is her death being considered the tipping point?

We'll talk to someone on the crime commission there, newly appointed. Very interesting interview live.

Then, we'll completely switch gears. Recognize that guy? Well, on HBO's "Entourage" Jeremy Piven plays a Hollywood agent with a heart of cold, C-O-L-D. Is that redundant? Well, anyway, stick him in the anchor chair and the smooth operator, well, he just falls right apart.

(BEGIN VIEO CLIP)

JEREMY PIVEN, ACTOR: I couldn't be an anchor. And I'll tell you why.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Because the eye in your ear -- it keeps popping out?

PIVEN: It would pop out. And I would be fired.

PHILLIPS: Is it too big, too small?

PIVEN: Yes. I would be like, war at a glance -- ow.

PHILLIPS: Let me know and I'll help with you that.

PIVEN: OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Maybe if he didn't have the scarf and hat it might stay in his ear.

He's not looking to quit his night job or day job. Very good. We'll have much more on him, his smoking hot career, Golden Globe, all that. He sits down with Kyra Phillips. You saw that.

COLLINS: All right. We'll be watching.

LEMON: See you at 1:00.

COLLINS: All right. Thanks, Don.

HARRIS: Now, the word is surge. The issue, the Iraq war. The connection, an escalating linguistic battle. Our Jeanne Moos joins the fray.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is a word that's living up to its own definition. It's surging.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The surge has already begun.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does a surge mean?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Viewed as a temporary surge.

MOOS: Better hope it's temporary...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This surge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They surged.

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC: When the surge.

MOOS: ... because if this keeps up, surge will become the scourge of political lingo. From the surge to nowhere to short circuiting the surge, we're drowning in it.

By definition, a surge is something that bursts forth, then recedes.

GEOFFREY NUNBERG, LINGUIST, UC BERKELEY: It's a little risky for the administration to go with surge. It may be a stirring phrase, but it runs the risk of creating ironies down the road.

MOOS: The irony would be if the surge of troops didn't recede, this according to the author of "Talking Right: How Conservatives Turned Liberalism Into A Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating Et Cetera Freak Show."

STEPHEN COLBERT, "THE COLBERT REPORT": This action is a surge, not an escalation. Escalation is the word the Democrats are using.

SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: An escalation, whether it's called a surge or any other name, is still an escalation.

COLBERT: Escalation, on the other hand, is what old people do at a mall.

MOOS: Actually, escalation tends to be a four-syllable reminder of Vietnam. Unnamed Pentagon officials were one source of the catchphrase surge, though some surging generals warned against it. There are those who can't get enough surge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Surge!

MOOS: That would be Surge the soda, marketed, then discontinued by Coke. Its demise resulted in SaveSurge.org.

(on camera): And are you pro or anti-surge?

ERIC KARKOVACK, SAVESURGE.ORG: Well, I'm pro Surge soda. I'm anti-troop surge.

MOOS (voice-over): The political catchphrase makes the Surge merchandise celebrated on the soda Web site seem bizarre, from salt and pepper shakers to walkie-talkies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: S-U-R-G-E, the greatest soda there could ever be.

MOOS: On the political front, the urge headlines keep one-upping each other. "The Urge To Surge" escalated to "The Urge to Purge Surge." Did we say escalate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Escalation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The surge.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This escalation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The troop surge.

MOOS (on camera): Instead of sending in more troops, they should send in more surge.

KARKOVACK: That's right. It would give people more energy.

MOOS (voice-over): All this surging is enough to make a secretary of state opt for...

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: This augmentation.

MOOS: Besides, surge sounds like a laundry detergent. It is a laundry detergent, but politically, surge seems to be stuck on the spin cycle.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com